First week of the month plant beans, cucumbers, squash and corn
Middle of the month plant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts.
Late in the month plant leafy and root vegetables such as spinach, carrots, beets, turnips
Plant lawn grasses such as Bermuda and St. Augustine early in the month to allow for longest time to become established before winter. Water twice a day for 2 to 3 weeks to establish roots.
Trees, shrubs and groundcovers. Water deeply by hand every other day until mid fall.
Wildflowers. Plant in gently tilled, low-fertility soil in full sun and where grass will not compete next spring. Plant acid-treated bluebonnet seeds for most uniform germination.
Replace any annuals that are past their prime with transplants from 4-inch pots in bud but not blooming.
Prune:
Pinch coleus, impatiens, geraniums to encourage new growth
Trim autumn sage by one third for new fall growth and more flowers
Perennials. Remove dead flower heads and seed stalks
Roses. Prune back by one third, remove all dead wood, diseased canes and twiggy growth. Cut back to just above a bud that faces away from the center of the bush. Remove any dead flowers.
Blackberries. Remove dead canes and leave only two of the strongest canes in each clump. Tip prune new growth to encourage branching. Remove any plants that are not in the row (these can be transplanted or shared with a friend).
Fertilize:
Container plants with a diluted, water-soluble, high-nitrogen food weekly
Lawn and landscape plants with nitrogen fertilizer (half should be slow-release form).
Be on the Look-out:
Pecan pests invade this month. Control with appropriate insecticide early in the month and then again late inthe month.
Be on the look-out for aphids on crape myrtles. Use appropriate insecticide. Black sooty mold grows in the honeydew secreted by the aphids.
Gray leaf spot in St. Augustine. Grass blades will appear yellowed from a distance. Discontinue fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizer until September. Use a turf fungicide.
Apply Image or Sedgehammer to nutsedge early in the month.
Garden Tips:
For a comprehensive brochure on garden preparation and spring and fall planting schedule, go to the following website and download the pdf document. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/organic/files/2011/03/E-502_home_vegetable_guide.pdf
It’s never too late to start keeping a gardening journal. Record plantings of trees and shrubs and the varieties planted; pest and herbicides used; fertlizer used and the dates; and watering schedules. Make out your fall garden plan with a list of plants, the varieties, a planting layout and planting dates.
Remove spent vegetable plants and dispose of diseased or pest infested plant material appropriately. Do not add these to the compost pile.
Make plans for protecting winter vegetables. Begin purchasing frost cloth, 1-inch pvc pipe or flex tubing to make hoops over beds to support frost cloth.
Water deeply and less frequently to stimulate deep root growth.
Fannin County Master Gardeners meet the first Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Derrell Hall Education Center at 2505 N. Center. The program for the August 4 meeting will be “Firewise Landscaping” presented by Collin County Master Gardener Jim Ewoldson. For more information call 903-583-7453 or email your questions to fanninmastergardener@gmail.com.